Pneumatic collection and air conditioning for textile spinning frames



Dec. 2, 1947. c, BECHTLER I 2,431,726

PNEUMATIC COLLECTION AND AIR CONDITIONING FOR TEXTILE SPINNING FRAMESFiled June 1, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOQ HANS C. BECHTLER.

1 ATTORN cvs.

1947. c. BECHTLER V 2,431,726

PNEUMATIC COLLECTION AND AIR CONDITIONING FOR TEXTILE SPINNING FRAMESFiled June 1, 1946 3 SheetSQSh'eet 2 r I I W 6? mvgu-ron. HAN: C.Beer-111.1512.

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 2, 1947. c, BEIC TLE 2,431,726

PNEUMATIC COLLECTION AND AIR CONDITIONING FOR TEXTILE SPINNING FRAMESFiledJune 1,-1946 s Sheets-Sheet s L a s MW 4 INVEN'I'OE 4L; ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 2, 1947 PNEUMATIC COLLECTION AND AIR CONDI- TIONING FORTEXTILE SPINNING FRAMES Hans C. Bechtler, Zurich, Switzerland, asslgnorto Pneumafli Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Delaware Application June 1, l 6, Serial No. 673,781 9Claims. (Cl. 57-34) Thi invention relates to the art of textile spinningand more particularly to the spinning of yarns or threads from strands,such as roves, on spinning frames, such for example as ring frames. Theinvention is more particularly concerned with removing the broken endsor loose particles of said strands being operated upon and ofmaintaining suitable conditioned air in the immediate vicinity of thestrands being operated upon.

The term "strand as herein used is to be understood as meaning a partlyfinished product lustrating by way of example the preferredembodimentpof the apparatus used in carrying out such as is operatedupon in the process of producing a finished or fully manufacturedprodnot such as a more or less highly twisted yarn or thread. In onestage such a strand is in loose or only slightly twisted condition andis called a rove; and in this form the strand is most likely to breakageand to shed loose particles while being operated upon in the'spinningframe. Likewise, in this form of the strand air conditioning is ofespecial importance. While the invention is especially useful in theprocess of operating upon roves, it is also useful in operating uponstrands in intermediate stages of completion; The term air conditioningsystem" or the like expression herein used is to be understood asmeaning any exhaust or ventilating system with or without a humidifyingor dehumidifying or heating or cooling or purifying or any combinationof these.

An object of the present invention is to eifect an eflicient collectionand removal of broken ends and loose particles liberated from saidstrands during their travel through a spinning frame and tosimultaneously effect a uniform distribution of conditioned air in-theimmediate vicinity of each individual strand being operated upon in aspinning frame or a battery of spinning frames, whether said spinningframes are operated singly or in batteries and whether said batteriesare contained in one or a plurality of separate rooms.

Another object of the invention is to uniformly distribute conditioningair to a plurality 'of strands being operated upon, whether on a singlespinning frame or a battery of spinning frames,

and to assure the uniformity of the conditioned air reaching all of saidstrands.

Another object of the invention is to provide for economy in operationand eflicient removal or pieces or particle detached from said strandsduring operation of said spinning equipment.

Further objects of the invention will more fully appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings11- themethod.

The invention consists in the method herein described and in the novelfeatures, arrangement, construction and combination of parts of theapparatus and means hereinafter described in accordance with certainpreferred embodiments thereof, and the invention will be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same referencecharacters indicate the same parts in the various views;

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the invention, somewhatdiagrammatically, comprising a battery of spinning frames provided witha combined pneumatic collecting and air conditioning system;

Fig. 1A (Sheet 3) is a fragmentary view of the same embodiment as shownin Fig. 1 showing a slight modification thereof;

Fig. 2 is afront elevational view showing somewhat diagrammaticallyfurther features of one of the spinning frames and pneumatic collectingand air conditioning system as illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing further details of the structureillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, on a somewhat larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a partial view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 illustrating adifferent setting of the position of regulating dampers; v

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show a modification of the arrangement illustrated inFig. 4 and variations in the adjustment of the regulating dampers;

Fig. 8 shows the apparatus according to Figs. 1 and 7 with addedautomatic controls for regulating the dampers; and

Fig. 9 shows a modification of the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1.

'As is well known to those skilled in the art, the removal of brokenends of strands in spinning operations and the removal of dust particlesfrom the strands being spun have presented a serious problem which hasnot heretofore been solved. It has been proposed to remove broken endsand dust particles by pneumatic means, but such proposals have beenunsuccessful and has seriouslyinterfered with the uniform distributionof conditioned air in the spinning room.

The present invention assures not only an even distribution ofconditioned air in the spinning room'but the uniform distribution of theconditioned air' right at the strands being operated 3 I upon in theexact location where the strands are under combined tension andtorsional stresses. Such distribution of conditioned air is induced byindividual suction streams concentrated adjacent the respective strandsbeing onerated upon so as to entrain the broken ends and loose particlesliberated from said strands and collect them, by means of suitablefilters, and return the filtered air from the collectorstream to the airconditioning system in such proportions as are required for theconditioned air. According to the invention, it is therefore possible togreatly increase the efficiency of oper-- ations and to effect aremarkable uniformity in the operating conditions of the spinningapparatus regardless of the number of spinning frames in a battery orthe number of batteries in a given installation and whether or not thebatteries are in one or a plurality 'of separate spinning rooms.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a plurality of spinningframes, such a i, are provided with respectively corresponding suctionconduits or ducts 2 and each of said ducts is provided with a pluralityof branches or pipes 3 provided with a series of orifices or slots 4.The ducts 2 extend the full length of respective spinning frames I andare preferably disposed beneath the creels (Fig. 2) such as and theorifices 4 are located at the places on the spinning frames where thebroken ends usually occur, which is between the output side of the feedor delivery rollers R and the bobbins B. A separate orifice 4 isprovided for each strand S (Figs. 2 and 3) such as a roving strand orthe like being operated upon, and is disposed below the path which saidstrand follows; so that upon the breaking of a strand the free end isdrawn by suction through its corresponding orifice and any broken end orportion separated therefrom is sucked through said orifice and carriedthrough said branch pipes 3 into said suction ducts 2, etc. The multiplenumber of orifices thus provided also serves to effect an intensiveremoval of dust particles, since the greatest development of dust takesplace at this point air in the spinning room is in' the desiredcondition and all of the filtered air removed by the positioned adjacentrespective spinning frames (as in Figs. 1 and 2), a common-filter boxmay be inserted in the common suction conduit 8 between the last filterbox 5a and the fan I. In Fig. 1A (on Sheet 3) I have shown thismodification in which the parts corresponding to 5, 5a, 8 and 'I of Fig.1 are designated respectively as 5', 5a, 6' and 'I' and the additionalcommon filter box is designated 5b. The filter boxes are provided with adoor, or other suitable means to remove the collected broken ends, whichbeing free from extraneous dirt may be readily re-used.

In Fig. 4 the dampers 9 and Ii are open and the damper [0 closed. Theair from the fan 1 is emitted through the damper 9 into the open air or,for the purpose of being made use of further, into other spinning roomsand the fan l2 takes air from the outside through the damper ii.

In Fig. 5 the position of the dampers is analomatic collector. In this,case a damper I6 is prowhere the broken ends occur. The broken ends anddust particles thus entrained in the moving air pass from the ducts 2into the filter boxes 5a where they are collected by the filters 5, andthe suction air passes into the common suction conduit 6 through whichit is drawn by the axial flow suction fan 1 disposed within an enlargedportion or channeled duct of the conduit 6 serving as a housing for saidfan I. The air passes from the fan 1 into a distributing and mixingchamber 8 which forms a part of an air conditioningsystem to be moreparticularly referred to following. The chamber 8 is provided with airdampers 9, Ill and ii and the chamber is in communication with theintake side of a suitable fan or blower I! which withdraws air from thechamber 8 and passes it through a conditioner conduit i 3 and emits itinto the spinning room through the outlets ll, which are positioned inthe region of the spinning frames I but are spaced therefrom a suitabledistance to permit the use of a relatively few conditioner outlets l4relative to the number of collector orifices 4.

The dampers 9, l0 and H (Fig. 1) are so adjusted that the air coming.from the fan I is returned into. the spinning room, the dampers 9 and iibeing closedand the damper i0 being open. This condition would prevailwhen the ,propelled through fan "i is evacuated through damper 9 intothe outside whereas the remaining part is returned through damper ill,the air conditioning unit l5 and fan i2 lnto the spinning room. One partof the return air required 5 by the air conditioning unit can also beadmitted, as through a suitable suction duct H, from the spinning roompast damper ifi'into the air con- 'ditioning unit and back into thespinning room whereas approximately the same amount of air which hasbeen evacuated through damper 9 will be sucked through the outside airdamper ii. If in installations as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 thespinning frames are not in operation, for instance, before or afterworking hours fan 1 of thepneumatic collector need not be in operation.The air conditioning of the spinning room can be supplied normally withoutside air or return air due to dampers ii and i6.

Fig. 8 shows a similar installation as in Fig. 5. In this case, however,the air dampers are automatically controlled by means of control unitswell known to those skilled in the art, such as an electrical orpneumatic air damper motor l8 which is regulated by a regulator l9 whichcan be a thermostat or hygrostat. Regulator 19 can be put in variouspositions on diflerent installa- -pneumatic collector, for instance, bymeans of a static pressure regulator 21 which controls the I speed ofthe motor of fan I by way of an actuating line 28. This can be doneelectrically or by compressed air with a servo-motor which changes theposition of the brushes on the Ian motor. The suction pressure can bealso controlled by other known means such as with air dampers instead ofthe variation of the fan speed. The control'of the suction pressure hasthe advantage that the correct pressure in the pneumatic collectingsystem will always be maintained independent of the number of spinningframes operating. If part of the spinning frames are out of operationthe speed of the fan necessary to maintain the correct pressure will bereduced with the corresponding saving in power required to drive thefan. Finally the suction pressure control 28 can be connected to asignal mechanism, in a manner well understood by those skilled in theart, to immediately indicate faulty operation in the system, forinstance, in the case of blocked filters.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9 each frame,

tioner for supplying conditioned air to said strands being operatedupon, said intake orifices being spaced from the outlet of said airconditionenwhereby a uniform distribution of said conditioned air isinduced adjacent said strands, a common conduit interconnecting theoutlet side of said plurality of ducts with the inlet side of said airconditioner, and control means for regulating the volume of airreturning into said conditioner from the outlet sides of said sue-- tioncollectors.

2. In a combined pneumatic and air conditioning system or the characterdescribed the combination of a pneumatic suction collector comprising. aplurality of ducts each providing a pluality of intake orifices dsposedat spaced intervals corespondng to the spacing of a plurality of strandsof textile material being operated upon to thereby collect broken endsand such'as l,-has a pneumatic collector which is complete in itselfhaving its own suction fan 5 in filter box 5. The air propelled by fan 5can be exhausted through duct-20 to the outside. By means of a damper2i, which is controlled manually or automatically by a suitable airdamper motor 22, the air can be partly or totally returned to thespinning room and thence to the chamber 8. The dampers 23 and 24 of theair conditioning unit are operated by a suitable damper motor 25automatically controlled through regulator Hi. This regulator will alsocontrol the dampers 2i. Regulator l9 can be a thermostat or a hygrostatand be used in differ-- ent positions to suit the requirements of theair conditioning installation. Regulator l9, damper motor 25 and dampermotors 22, are therefore connected through line 25. for instance,through a compressed air pipe in case of pneumatic control or electricconduits in the case of electric control. These dampers are arranged insuch a way that whenever damper 2d closes or moves toward closedposition, damper 23 will open or move toward open position and damper 2iwill return the air from the pneumatic collector into the spinning room.

Having thus described my invention with particularity with reference toits preferred form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art,after understanding my invention, that other changes and modificationsmay be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, and I aim in the appended claims to cover such changes andmodifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined pneumatic and air conditioning system of the characterdescribed the combination of a pneumatic suction collector comprising aplurality of ducts each providing a plurality of intake orificesdisposed at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of a pluralityof strands of textile material being operated upon to thereby collectbroken ends and loose particles of said strands, an air condilooseparticles of said strands, an air conditioner for supplying conditionedair to said strands being operated upon, said intake orifices beingspaced from the outlet of said air conditioner, whereby a uniformdistribution of,said conditioned air is induced adjacent said strands, acommon conduit interconnecting the outlet side of said plurality ofduets with the inlet side of said air conditioner, said common conduitcomprising a channel duct provided witha fan, and control means forregulating the volume of air returning into said conditioner from theoutlet sides of said suction collectors.

3. In a combined pneumatic and air conditioning system of the characterdescribed the combination of a pneumatic suction collector comprising aplurality of ducts each providing a plurality of intake orificesdisposed at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of a pluralityof strands of textile material being opertioner for supplyingconditioned air to said strands being operated upon, said intakeorifices being spaced from the outlet of said'air conditioner, whereby auniform distribution of said conditioned air is induced adjacent saidstrands, a common conduit interconnecting the outlet side of saidplurality of duets with the inlet side of said air conditioner, saidcommon conduit comprising a filter box for retaining said broken endsand loose particles, and control means for regulating the volume of airreturning into said conditioner from the outlet sides of said suctioncollectors.

4. In a combined pneumatic and air conditioning system of the characterdescribed the combination of a pneumatic suction collector comprising asource of suction and a plurality of intake orifices disposed at spacedintervals corresponding to the spacing of a plurality of strands oftextile material being operated upon, an air conditioning system forsupplying conditioned air to said strands being operated upon, saidintake orifices being spaced from the outlet of said air conditioningsystem, whereby a uniform distribution of said conditioned air isinduced adjacent said strands, control means for regulating the volumeof air returning into said conditioning system from the outlet side ofsaid su'ction collector, and means of communication between the outletside of said suction collector and the atmosphere external said airconditioned zone.

5. In textile spinning apparatus of the class wherein a plurality ofstrands are fed across a spinning frame from a creel or the like supplyto respective bobbins on which they are wound and said strands beingopera-ted upon are frequently broken in their passage between saidsource of supply and bobbins and where an air conditioning system isprovided for said operation, the combination with said frame and airconditioning system of a pneumatic collector duct extending lengthwiseof said frame and disposed between said source of strand supply andbobbins beneath the path of travel of said strands and provided withspaced orifices disposed in respective register with the paths of travelof said strands, said suction intake orifices being interposed in thepath of circulation intermediate 6. The combination with textilespinning apparatus comprising a spinning frame provided with creel anddelivery rollers disposed on opposite sides thereof from which a,plurality of strands are fed outwardly to winding bobbins, of a suctioncollector duct extending substantially the length of the spinning frame,a series of branch ducts extending outwardly in opposite directions fromthe collector duct provided with orifices spaced lengthwise of saidframe, said orifices being disposed in respective register beneath saidstrands, a filter box in communication with the outlet of said collectorduct, a suction fan for drawing air through said orifices into said ductand through said filter box, an air conditioner provided with an outlet,means providing circulation communication between the exhaust side ofsaid collector and the intake side of said air the intake side of saidair conditioner, and control means for regulating the volume of air incirculation between the exhaust side of said collector ducts and theintake side of said air conditioner. l

8. The combination with textile spinning frame apparatus comprising abattery of spinning frames each provided with a creel and deliveryrollers disposed on opposite sides thereof from which a plurality ofstrands are fed outwardly to winding bobbins, of a series of suctioncollector ducts extending substantially the length of respective of saidframes and each provided with orifices spaced lengthwise of itsrespective frame, said orifices being disposed in respective registerbeneath the paths of travel of said strands, a series of filter boxes incommunication with the outlets of respective of said collector ducts,suction fan means for drawing air through said orifices into said ductsand through said filter boxes, an air conditioner provided with outlets,a common conduit connecting the exhaust side of said series of collectorducts and the intake side of said air conditioner, and control means forregulating the volume of air in circulation between the exhaust side ofsaid collector .ducts and the intake side of said air conditioner.

9. The combination with textile spinning frame apparatus comprising abattery of spinning frames each provided with a creel and deliveryrollers disposed on opposite sides thereof from which a plurality ofstrands are fed outwardly to winding bobbins, of a series of suctioncollector ducts extending substantially the length of respective of saidframes and each provided with orifices spaced lengthwise of itsrespective frame,

7 said orifices being disposed in respective register conditioner, andcontrol means for regulating the ducts extending substantially thelength of respective of said'framesv and eachprovided with orificesspaced lengthwise of its respective frame, said orifices being disposedin respective register beneath the paths of travel of said strands, aseries of filter boxes in communication with the outlets of respectiveof said collector ducts, suction fan means for drawing air through saidorifices into said ducts and through said filter boxes,

an air conditioner provided with outlets, means providing circulationcommunication between the exhaust side of said series of collector ductsand beneath the paths of travel of said strands, a series of filterboxes in communication with the outlets of respective of said collectorducts, suction fan means for drawing air through said orifices into saidducts and through said filter boxes, an .air conditioner provided withoutlets, a common conduit connecting the exhaust side of said series ofcollector ducts and the intake side of said air conditioner, a commonfilter box in said common conduit between said series of filter boxesand said air conditioner intake, and control means for regulating thevolume of air passing through said common conduit to the intake side ofsaid air conditioner.

HANS C. BECH'ILER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,140,420 Eaddy Dec. 13, 1938FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,231 Great Britain 1905 549,720Great Britain Dec. 3, 1942

